A Lifetime Ago
by Ms.Chelle
Summary: Why does Gibbs like redheads? This is a story that happened a lifetime ago.


Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't have many friends. Actually, he didn't have any friends at all. He pushed away those who wanted to make friends with him and after a while everybody accepted that he wants to be alone.

He wasn't like that before actually but when his mother died, his world turned upside down. He refused to 'hang out' with other second graders too. He would rather stay in his father's store and help him or stay in his room doing God knows what.

It was another typical day in school. He wore a plain white shirt with a blue opened short-sleeved dress shirt, jeans and sneakers. His backpack slung on his right shoulder. He went to his locker to get his books before home room when he saw the new girl from first grade. She was wearing a white tank top with green cardigan on top, knee-high skirt and one-inched kitten heels. Her red hair stood out among the other girls. She walked by and her emerald eyes locked with his sapphires. The eye contact was merely a second and then she was gone in the sea of students. The bell rang then he rushed towards home room.

During lunch, he walked towards his usual table. It was outside underneath the shade of the redwood tree. He stopped for a moment when he saw that somebody was taking his place. He walked towards the table and slammed his tray on the table.

"Why are you here?" his gruff manner made her look at him. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Because I want to sit here," she said as if it was obvious.

"Too bad, this is my table sit somewhere else." He pointed at the other table with girls.

"No," he glared at her. "Too bad, your glare doesn't work, _blue eyes_. Finders keepers. Go find other table." She shooed him away.

"No." He stood straight and waited for her to leave.

"Good, you're waiting for me. You're a real gentleman." She sarcastically said then smiled.

This girl was getting on his nerves. He swore he will kick her out but her smile made him not to do it. Why does she have that smile that make his heart jump and those glittering eyes that could make his knees weak. He decided that there's only one way left to settle this _stubbornness_. "You cannot shoo me away so scoot," he ordered. For once, she finally obliged.

The whole lunch time was silent. Neither of them bothered to talk to the other. That whole scenario happened for three days until she finally spoke up.

"You will not really say a word, won't you?" she sounded irritated.

"Nah, I just waited for you to speak first." He said after he took a bite of his cheeseburger.

"Not fair!" she threw her strawberry juice box at him and made a scowling face. She crossed her arms in front of her stomach and looked away.

"Hey!" He shielded himself from the box with his arm but the juice splatter on his face which made her look and laugh at him.

"You're pink!"she laughed again.

He groaned and wiped his face.

"Aww, you look so cute!" she pinched his cheek.

He rolled his eyes. "I am not cute!"

"Yes, you are. You have pink stuff on your hair." She wiped it. "You're pink and cute! Me likey!" she chuckled. He was about to splash his milk carton on her but the bell rang and she ran away.

As the week ended, they talked during lunch time. Or more likely, she talks and he listens during lunch time. He wanted to pretend that he doesn't care but that idea was thrown out the window the moment that she opens her mouth. At least, he finds her stories entertaining. He learned that they moved in Stillwater because of her dad's job and she also has a baby sister.

After few more days, he started to call her Jen and she started to call him Jet. They were really close and became best friends according to Jen. Sometimes she helps him running the store. His father already knows her and Jack was really glad that Jethro's making friends again.

After a few months, her birthday came and he wanted to give her something special. So, Jethro took her out in the park. He told her that he had a surprise for her. She willingly followed him. He stopped nearby the river and headed straight towards the cedar tree. He told her to cover her eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him. "You know that I'm going to see it sooner or later so why do I have to keep my eyes close?"

"Jeez Jen, just trust me," he covered her eyes with his hands and guided her towards the tree. They both stopped. He lowered his hands but Jen still kept her eyes closed.

"You can open your eyes now." He ordered.

"You sure?"

He rolled his eyes though she cannot see it. "That's why my hands aren't on your eyes anymore."He stated it as it was the most obvious things in the world. He exaggerated by using his hands.

"Fine." She slowly opened her eyes because the last time that he made her close then open her eyes, there was a spider in front of her.

But then, she saw the carvings on the bark.

J & J

Her beautiful sparkling green orbs widened, "Jen and Jet. That's us." She realized that it was their initials. She hugged him tightly that they almost fell. "It's carved there forever!"

"Uh-huh." He had a smug look on his face. He was certainly proud with his carvings.

She turned to him and smiled. "You could always look at it when you miss me."

"Miss you? Why? We will always see each other." He was really confused.

She tilted her head. Her smile became a frown. "I haven't told you?"

"Told me what?" by then, his gut told him that she'll tell him a bad news.

She bowed her head down, unable to break the news. He tilted her chin so she can look up to him. He repeated the question.

"Dad got another promotion."

"That's a good news." He told her the positive side about it but she shook her head.

"We need to move to DC." She was almost on the verge of crying.

"You could always come back here for summer." He tried to comfort her with words but that just lead her to brush off a tear that wants to escape.

"We're not going back." This time, the dam broke and she crushed herself into his embrace. "We're… not… coming back… Jet..." She murmured in between the sniffles.

He rubbed her back. He was trying to be strong. "It's ok. You're going to be fine." He whispered to her ear and ran his hand through her long red curls.

"I don't… want to… be fine… I want… here… only…" her eyes were getting red. She lifted her head up to look at his eyes. "You're my best friend…"

All that he could ever do was to let a tear fall down on his cheek. "You're my best friend too."

When the tears lay low, they laid their backs on the ground and stared at the sky.

"When are you leaving?"he asked in the moment of silence but he didn't turn to face her.

"Next week." She answered. She still stared at late afternoon sky.

Next week came around very fast. They spend the whole week doing the usual things that they do for the past six months. She kept on talking during lunch and he listens. They played on the park after school or they help Jack with the store.

He went to her house the day that she goes to DC. She got out of the house and saw him standing on the front lawn with his hands on his back.

"What are you hiding from me?" she narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.

"You really want straight to the point do you?"

"Yup. So, what's that?" She tried to peek on his side.

"It's my farewell gift." He placed it in front of her.

She took it in her hands. Her fingers trailed the carved 'J & J' on the object that he made. "It's beautiful." She smiled. Then, her dad walked out of the house. He greeted the young lad and told Jen that they need to go. She told her dad that she'll follow him in a minute.

"I don't have anything to give you."

He shrugged. "Nah, that's ok." His brows furrowed when she reached her bag and grabbed a Polaroid camera.

"I have an idea. Take a picture of me with your gift." She handed him the camera.

He really wanted to argue with her that she doesn't need to give him anything but he just couldn't say no to his best friend.

"Fine." He obliged and took a picture of her. She was grinning and holding the wooden object on her hands.

They both waited for the picture to develop then her dad called her again and said that it's time to go. She handed him the photo and put the camera in her bag.

"We'll see each other again, Jethro." She grinned. She kissed him on the cheek then ran away towards the car, leaving a dumbfounded Jethro who was blushing on the sidewalk.

It seemed that he cannot move after what just happened. He touched his cheek while the other kept holding on the photo that she gave. He watched her ran to the car. Once she got seated, she stuck her head out and waved at him and the last thing that he saw is her red hair that was flowing through the wind.

* * *

"Agents Gibbs!" the little boy shook his knee again. And then he came back to the present. He looked startled for a moment and then turned to the little boy in front of him. "What Zach?"

"I was asking you why do you like redheads?" Zach appears to be completely interested.

He shook his head and stood up from his stool.

Zach rolled his eyes and wondered why can't Gibbs just answer a simple question like normal people do. But since he is Gibbs, he let it go. The man has his moments, he thought.

When Gibbs came back, he was holding a picture and handed it to the little guy.

Zach looked at the black and white photo of a little girl. "She's a redhead?" He received a nod then the man drank his bourbon. "So, she's the reason why you started liking redheads." He made a conclusion and the older man agreed. "Have you seen her again?" The agent shook his head. Zach studied the picture. "She's pretty."

Gibbs chuckled. "Yeah, she is."

Then the younger man's eyes drifted to the object that she was holding. "Gibbs what's this?" he pointed.

"A wooden boat." Gibbs didn't need to look where the kid pointed.

"Oh, Jenny has the exact thing like that in her office drawer," he innocently said.

"What?" Gibbs' jaw fell.

* * *

_I don't own NCIS. I don't know if I should do a sequel. What do you think?_

- _T_


End file.
